Monday, January 09, 2012

Danghara for Dushanbe?

"Danghara, a small town of 20,000 situated in Tajikistan’s southern lowlands, may not strike most observers as a likely spot to place a national capital. But locals are pointing to the resumption of work on a grand new international airport nearby to speculate that Tajik President Emomali Rahmon – a native of the area – intends to relocate his country’s seat of power to his modest hometown...

"The airport scheme is not the only reason Danghara’s residents are talking up their town as a possible successor capital. They point to other unusual capital projects that Tajikistan’s government has brought to the area, including a complete renovation of the town’s roads and extensive building construction. They also note that over the last 10 years, the government has steadily relocated families from the countryside to Danghara...

"But at least one government official close to Rahmon on the national stage has indicated his support for a change of capitals. Suhrob Shapirov, the former head of the Center for Strategic Research and a deputy in the Tajik parliament, told RFE/RL that he would support the move of the capital from Dushanbe to Danghara...

"And that does not take into account the local jealousies likely to be aroused by such a dramatic act of presidential nepotism. One resident of Khatlon Province who identified himself as Djamshed complained that 'even now, people are saying that the president is doing more for his hometown than others.'"

To me, the only truly suggestive thing in this is the airport. Why would you build your largest national airport around 75 miles from your capital and largest city? Danghara is in Khatlon Province, which is the most populous of Tajikistan's four main administrative divisions. Even if Dushanbe remains capital, it seems like Khatlon is where the business hub will be.

About Me

I am an Associate Professor in History at Shippensburg University, where I teach courses in Middle Eastern and world history. My two major research areas are the Middle East from the 7th through 10th centuries and the Persian Gulf from ancient times to the present. Nothing on this site represents an official position of Shippensburg University.